


A Very Walsh Christmas

by katherinewilliams221b



Series: 1995-1996 [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery (Video Game)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M, Fluff, POV Charlie Weasley, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:22:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25731301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katherinewilliams221b/pseuds/katherinewilliams221b
Summary: Charlie and Kate spend the day before Christmas at Kate’s grandfather’s house.
Relationships: Charlie Weasley/Original Character(s), Charlie Weasley/Original Female Character(s), Player Character (Hogwarts Mystery)/Charlie Weasley
Series: 1995-1996 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1866469
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Charlie Weasley POV

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Why are you asking that just in front of your grandfather’s house, we can’t go back now!”

For weeks I had been trying to convince Kate that spending the holidays with her family was a good idea. We had, in fact, spent one Christmas alone in Romania and although it was a nice rest from the chaotic atmosphere of the Burrow, it ended with both of us secretly miserable.

Now standing in front of Kate’s grandfather’s house, in the village of Stanton, staring at the Christmas decorations on the door, I found myself more nervous than when I first went to Romania.

I couldn’t help but shift in my place and I looked down at the bottle I was carrying; a fine firewhiskey if I dare say myself, and it better be, because I spent an entire week choosing one.

“Alright, I’m positively freezing, I’m going to ring.” I heard her say. Before she did, a deep voice near us startled me.

“If you are not going in, leave the presents at the door and leave.” A man with red cheeks and a smirk on his face was leaning on the nearest window to the door, from inside the house.

“Grandpa!” Kate’s eyes lit under the streetlights and that was the only thing that made all my insecurities go away.

“The door’s open, what are you waiting for? Snow? Can make it snow in a second, look.” Kate squealed when a snowball appeared out of nowhere and hit her full on the head. She rapidly opened the door and shook her hair out of the snow. I followed her closing the door behind me.

“Grandpa! You have to improve your snowflakes…”

“Ah, a stór, fashionably late, I see. You happen to have snow on your hair.” Kate shook her head and smiled, a sight so rare these days I couldn’t help but stare.

They hugged, tight and long, and I couldn’t decide if I wanted to watch or look away. Giving them space, I focused on the entrance of the house. I could hear the crackling of fire at my right and also a set of voices accompanying it. A clock on the wall marked 7:32 in the evening, we were fashionably late indeed, and to the left I imagined there was the table set with dinner.

“And you must be the famous Charles Weasley.” He comically bowed and I shook the hand he offered. I was strangely relieved by the look in his eyes and managed to relax slightly. I looked up at Kate, questioning about my popularity status but she avoided my gaze, a lovely shade of pink appearing on her cheeks.

“Yes, Sir. You can call me Charlie.”

“And you can call me Bernard!” He added so cheerfully that I had to smile. Suddenly I remembered my gift.

“Here, this is for you.” I handed him the whiskey and he inspected it with such a scrutiny that I felt the need to apparate to Romania just in one jump.

“Ah, but this is just perfect, we will have it with dessert. Excuse me for a moment.” Bernard left the entrance hall, leaving me alone with Kate. She had changed her shoes into a pair of fluffy slippers.

“I got you a pair, too, you’ll be more comfortable.” She grabbed the bags I was carrying and my coat and scarf and left for a moment as well. I had changed into the slippers when she came back.

“This is going to be madness.” She said putting her hands around my neck. I had a brief second to appreciate her dark green dress and black stockings, she does look good in green.

“You’ve been in my house, you know what that’s like.” I replied hugging her waist.

“Yes, but my family…”

“Is family.” End of discussion. Let’s do this, dear Godric I think I’m going to pass out. “Shall we?”

She guided me to the living room where a tree was set with multiple presents under it. Kate’s family stopped talking as soon as we entered.

“Katie!” A woman with chestnut hair stood up abruptly and hugged Kate tight to her chest. I recognized her to be her mother.

“Nat, you are going to suffocate our daughter.” Joseph Williams set his glass of bubbling liquid on the table and went to hug her as well.

“I don’t think, we’ve actually met, I’m Natalia, Katie’s mom, she offered a hand and I shook it. “Charlie, Charlie Weasley.” I couldn’t help comparing her to Mom, and how she would have crushed in a hug whoever I introduced her to. Very much the way she did with Kate when they first met.

“Of course, Kate told us a lot about you in her letters, I received the last one while I was in Bangkok, ah, I remember that time well.”

Kate’s father offered me a hand as well, a very firm and strong hand, and nodded once. “Mr. Williams.” I tried to smile but the man was certainly intimidating.

A blonde woman got up from the couch, she looked a lot like Kate’s mom.

“Ugh, come on, Nat, you can’t help but slip into minimal conversation one of your trips. Cornelia Walsh, enchantée.” I awkwardly grabbed her hand, but I wasn’t sure if she wanted me to kiss it or shake it. Luckily for me, I felt a familiar hand pressed against my lower back and it was like Kate was absorbing all of the tension.

“Charlie, this is my aunt, Cornelia, and her husband, Secondo.”

“I am actually the third of all my siblings, so I don’t really understand the joke there.” The man shook my hand and I saw from the corner of my eye how Kate’s aunt rolled her eyes.

“Are you going to say that every time we meet someone?”

To my disappointment, Joseph dragged Kate away from me and put an arm around her shoulders guiding her to the dining room and everybody followed. “So, tell me, what does Dumbledore have to say about the conference with the Albanian government?”

Dinner went by with minimal problems, Kate’s grandfather had put some background music in a machine that Dad would certainly adore. He also made sure I was comfortable and was the only one to conversate with me.

It wasn’t once that Katie put a hand on my knee and caressed there absentmindedly, and it was a test to my auto control not to play with her hair or caress her neck in return.

I was excitedly sharing with Bernard some of the details about my dissertation about the Ukrainian Ironbelly when I heard Katie’s brother’s name in the conversation near me. It was clear that it was heading into an argument and my suspicions were rapidly confirmed.

“Oh, don’t tell me you wouldn’t have done the same!” Kate put the fork down with too much force and the cutlery on the table shook.

“It doesn’t matter what I would have done or not, you put your life in danger and others around you!” shouted her father.

“Oh, well at least I was doing something about it!”

“How dare you!” Kate’s mother rose abruptly and threw her napkin on the table, leaving the room.

“How can you say that, Katherine, it was my son you are talking about, don’t you think for one second that I didn’t try to get him back.” He didn’t shout, and that was more telling than anything he could have done. The hurt in his voice was clear to anyone with ears, and my heart broke for all the parents who’ve lost a child. He rose too and left the room presumably to comfort his wife. I watched how Katie’s jaw tensed and then how she closed her eyes briefly before going after him.

A tense silence surrounded us, and Cornelia’s voice seemed ten times louder when she talked.

“It’s never easy for them, you know, especially on holidays.” I nodded, not knowing how to reply. I had been there for her at Hogwarts and I will always be, I had cried Jacob’s death like it was my own brother.

Bernard sighed and proceeded to clean the table. I stood up and helped take the empty plates to the kitchen.

The second course was served, and Bernard insisted it was no use waiting for the rest to join us. Cornelia was in the middle of a very amusing story about a certain apparition test she had to examine.

“You know, as an apparition examiner, I’ve seen a lot of things, horrible things as well splinchings are serious business, but when that kid appeared tangled in the chandelier, I just couldn’t help but burst out laughing in the middle of the court.” I chuckled despite myself and made my best efforts to not give away my apparition abilities.

“Charlie had to take the test twice.” Kate’s voice invaded the small place when she appeared from the hall. Bloody hell, woman, you never give me a rest. She clearly had been crying but when I looked at her, she just smiled at me and I almost forgave her for humiliating me more. “Appeared on top of a poor muggle lady doing her shopping.”

“Really? Well, darling, don’t worry about that, I’ve seen worse.” Kate’s aunt wanted to make me feel better, I knew that, but I also knew that my face was probably matching my hair.

“Well at least I don’t have to sit down for fifteen minutes every time I make a jump…” I replied to Kate. She was left with her mouth open but smiling while the rest chuckled and her grandfather laughed before taking a sip from his wine.

“Alright, mister…” she chuckled and playfully tugged at the short ponytail low in my neck. When Mr and Mrs Williams came back, the mood was light again and I got the chance to relax and talk with everyone at the table.

Dessert came around and I was surprised with the outburst from Kate’s aunt.

“I can’t believe you tried to buy a crushing cabinet!” Cornelia stormed out of the room and her husband followed suit. “My love, it was on sale and I…” I consider myself a perceptive man, but I honestly didn’t see that the conversation was going to take that turn.

“This carrot cake is really good, grandpa, is it grandma’s recipe?” Bernard cleaned the corner of his mouth with his napkin. “It is, indeed, a stór. Your grandmother had the best cooking skills I have ever seen. When we were starting dating, as you would say, back in Ireland, I remember one summer when my Julie came home, a bunch we were, yes, all squeezed around a table that was as well the kitchen. And she came home with a radiant smile and some onions and can you believe she cooked for everyone! Everyone in the house gained at least five pounds that day, even young Sean who was all flesh and bones. Here let me…”

He rounded the table and opened a cabinet. “…grab the pictures…” This was obviously a frequent activity because Kate and her parents started to complain.

“Come on, Dad, we’ve seen those pictures a thousand times already!” said Natalia. Her father ignored her completely and shoved a leather album into my hands. “Look, lad, that’s what a full house looks like.” I opened the album to reveal several pictures scattered through the pages and I smiled. “Oh, I know how it feels, I have five brothers and a sister.”

“Five brothers and a sister! Ha!” He chuckled low and deep “That’s half a family, son. Look, look at it.” He tapped the pictures with his finger before clearing away the plates on the table again.

Kate felt the need to come to my rescue because she moved her chair and pressed herself against my shoulder. “I’m sorry.” She whispered in my ear, but I could hear the amusement in her voice. I shook my head and turned a page, there was something odd in the images.

“Wait. They’re not moving?” Bernard returned from the kitchen wearing pink rubber gloves. “Of course not! Who would have paid for that?” He wiggled his fingers and returned to the kitchen. “My Julie always said, Berny, I don’t care you can do magic! Don’t be a lazy bastard and wash the dishes! Been doing it the muggle way for years now.” He said from the kitchen. “Nat, dear, help me with this would ye.”

“Yes, Da.” Kate’s mother stood up and disappeared to the kitchen as well.

“Well, why don’t we go to the living room, we will be more comfortable.” Offered Joseph.

“I agree!” Kate rushed to secure all the albums into the cabinet again and took my arm guiding me through the entrance hall again and into the living room. “What do you not want me to see?” I whispered. She hesitated but answered me anyway. “Baby pictures.” My eyes widened and I turned to the room we’ve just left but she gripped my arm more securely and held me in place. “Oh, I want to see those!”

“Absolutely not.” She laughed and sat down on the couch in front of the fire.

“I believe you brought some firewhiskey, Charles?” I interpreted his tone as a good signal, maybe we had broken the ice. “Yes, yes, I don’t know where Mr Walsh put it…”

“I have it right here.” He pushed a trolley with some drinks and glasses and served a small cup for everyone. He handed us the drinks and sat down next to Kate, leaving me the armchair next to the couch for me alone. I know perfectly well that Katie drinks out of obligation, so I watched closely as her face contorted in displeasure when she took a sip.

I smiled into my glass before taking a sip myself just before Cornelia and Secondo entered the room.

“So, what were you talking about?” Cornelia demanded. “Oh! Look, honey, it’s your favourite!” She grabbed the glasses of firewhiskey and sat on a loveseat near the window.

“Grandpa took out the photographs.” Said Kate

“Ugh, every time, every time.” Cornelia tsked and then chuckled “That man. Now tell me: how long you’ve been together?” The question took me by surprise and I almost choked on my drink. I met Kate’s gaze and we both shrugged trying to do the math.

“I think…four, five years?” She offered and I nodded “More or less, yes.”

“Oh, that’s a long time! I can’t imagine being with someone for that long. How did you meet?” I resisted the urge to laugh at her husband’s expression and sipped from my glass again. I looked at Kate and we silently agreed that she would answer the interrogation.

“At Hogwarts, in fourth year, I believe. How did you two meet?” Ah, my Katie, queen of never giving too much details about her life. I’ve never been a man of many words and I admit I become slightly nervous when asked about other than my job. And although I prefer to keep our private lives private, I sometimes find the urge to explain every detail of Kate’s life with me and, why not, brag about it as much as I can.

“A toast!” I heard the deep voice of Kate’s grandfather announce. Immersed in my own thoughts I didn’t notice we were reunited all again. “To family, blood or not. To the ones we love and love us back, to the ones we lost but will always be in our hearts. And to the holidays, that give us the opportunity to be together once again.”

“Cheers!” After a round of clinking our glasses, I let myself shrunk in my seat and I stared at the fire. It was peaceful for a moment, the soft music, the lights, the fire.

I looked at Kate, and to my surprise she was looking back at me. She gave me a beautiful smile and I tried to take a mental picture of it. If I were more comfortable, I would have grabbed her hand and dragged her to sit with me and maybe try to steal a kiss or two. At the Burrow I would have done that without thinking.

“Hey!” Cornelia’s voice startled me “It’s Christmas already!” On cue, the clock in the hallway gave twelve o'clock and I stood up to greet everyone. Katie approached me and put a hand on my shoulder before pressing her lips against mine in a short but sweet kiss.

“Merry Christmas” she murmured. I put a strand of hair that had loosened from her clip behind her ear, the only gesture I was allowing myself to indulge. “Merry Christmas, Katie.”

“Let’s open some presents!” Said Bernard joyfully.

“Wait! I got ours in the closet!” Kate rushed to the hallway where she had put our belongings.

I watched how everyone talked and opened their presents, I am very proud of our selection of the watch we got to Kate’s father, he seemed quite taken with it. I had no clue that new omnioculars could make someone so happy, but Natalia was happily explaining some story about them in Egypt.

I wanted to participate in that conversation, having been in Egypt myself with my family, but someone put a hand on my shoulder distracting me. Bernard appeared from behind and gave me a meticulously wrapped present. Oh, I wasn’t expecting that.

“Here, lad. As soon as my Katie told me you were coming, I got this for ye.” In a million years I would have expected any member of her family would give me a gift and I was so touched by the gesture I ended up staring at the present instead of opening it. “Come on, son, I’m going to get old waiting.”

I did as he said, and I was even more impressed when I found what was inside: a copy of From Egg to Inferno: a Dragon’s keeper’s guide. I smiled and caressed the cover. I have read this book over thirteen times, but the fact that he bothered to look for something I might enjoy filled me with warmth.

“Thank you so much, sir. I’m touched.” He smiled and I saw the exact same expression that Kate has, just for a moment.

“You are welcome, son.” He hugged me and clapped my back twice.

“I have something for you, too.” Said a sweet voice behind me. Kate stood with her arms on her back and a smirk on her face. She handed me an envelope with my name on it. It was a letter. I turned it but there was no remittent, so I looked up at her.

“I had to erase it so it wouldn’t ruin anything.” She chuckled nervously, “Come on, open it.”

I did as she said and started reading.

Dear Charles Weasley,

I was told very insistently that I wrote a letter back to you instead of the original remittent.

Due to the multiple letters that arrived to me I decided to address the first one, which had attached parts of a manuscript draft that I believe you are the author of.

I read it thoroughly and I was very pleased with the contents of it, I certainly require a copy of the book when finished, I intend to buy it legitimately, of course.

I am particularly interested in your campaign to set free the Ukrainian Ironbelly that it’s been held captive inside the bank of Gringotts, and I support the cause wholeheartedly. Whenever you feel it’s appropriate, I am at your disposal to discuss the details. 

Best regards,

Newt Scamander

P.S I kept the draft to read it one more time, but I will not mind sending it back to its legitimate owner, if you happen to want it back, please indicate so in a letter.

I don’t remember how many times I read the letter, probably too many, because my lack of response was making Kate shift in her place in front of me.

“Are you angry that I sent him your draft without your permission?” She said softly. I looked up at her and I could see she was afraid of my answer. How could I be? I hadn’t even considered sending it to Newt Scamander, THE Newt Scamander, believing he wouldn’t bother reading it. And she, on her line of making possible the impossible, made my dreams come true.

“I just…you gave it to me to read it, and I thought it was brilliant, I did have to use a couple of books to understand some parts of it but…” she chuckled nervously again and that threw me out of my trance.

I grabbed the letter and the book in one hand and hugged her as tight as I could. She lost her balance and laughed, but I wouldn’t let her fall. She hugged me back and I forgot where we were or that probably we were being watched by her family. That didn’t matter at the moment.

Sounds of an argument caught our attention and we separated.

“When were ye gonna tell me ye were not goin’ to be ‘ere for Christmas?” Bernard’s anger accentuated his accent. “Ye said ye were goin’ to stay!”

“Da, please, you know how it is, I must be in South Africa tomorrow morning.”

“And what in the bloody hell you lost in South Africa that’s more important than your family, Natalia!”

Kate sighed beside me and said, “Would you help me pick up all the wrapping paper?” I nodded knowing what she meant and grabbed the few papers scattered on the floor. She quietly exited the room and I followed, leaving the argument behind us.

I watched move her wrist and the wrapping paper elevated in the air floating towards the kitchen. She grabbed my hand and pulled me towards a room behind the stairs. “Wait! Wait! I got you a present as well!” I rushed towards the hall and picked up the box I brought “It’s not going to be as special as your gift, but…here.”

The room was clearly a studio, with big bookshelves covering the walls, a wooden desk with multiple drawers on it and some artefacts I couldn’t identify.

She had that particular look in her eyes when she knows something that I don’t, bloody hell it’s impossible to surprise her. I watched how she curiously opened the box and I was pleased when she seemed genuinely surprised. She gasped and a wave of pride washed over me.

She is not a girl that waits for you to give her a present, if she wants something, she gets it. Auto Gifts she calls them, but I wanted to do something nice for her and I anticipated. We were indulging in some ‘us time’ in Bucharest, away from the chaos of the magic world, the problems, the thought of a war, just a couple taking a walk under the city lights. It was a moment, just a split of second, in mid-conversation she had stolen a look to a hat shop’s showcase. I didn’t give it much thought until I found an opened Witch Weekly Magazine in her workplace back at home. She hadn’t told me about it, so I figured that she hadn’t decided yet.

“Oh, Charlie, this is…too much.” She took out the witch hat I got her: black with dark blue velvet inside and golden threads on the top. “Love, this is too expensive, I… I’m not working at the moment and…”

“You like it?” I knew she did because she hadn’t taken her eyes away from it.

“This is not practical, I…”

“It’s not supposed to be practical, it’s a gift, but do you like it?”

“I… I do! Oh, Merlin, this is perfect, how…?”

“Because I know you.” She put it on and posed for me.

“How do I look?”

“Positively beautiful.” She smiled and ran to a mirror on the wall where she looked at her reflection and squealed.

“It came with these…uh, things,” I took out a small bag with some star and moon pendants inside of it. “You can hang them on it, if you want, that is.”

“Thanks.” She walked up to me and grabbed my cheeks, probably burning by now, and leaned to kiss me. The hat had other thoughts, and my forehead collided with its wing. We both started laughing and I threw my head back.

“Hey, look, it matches with the ceiling.” I hadn’t noticed before, but the entirety of the ceiling was painted as a dark sky, a deep dark blue with stars all over it. She looked up as well and we stood there, what a sight to see! Both hugging and looking up at nowhere.

“Your grandmother painted it.” Said a voice from the door. Kate’s grandfather stood leaning on the doorframe. “I apologise for the scene” he said “My, my, there’s a witch in my house!” He joked and we both laughed, but I noticed the sadness of his eyes.

“I assume you won’t be here tomorrow either.”

Kate sighed and drew away from me, guilt all over her face.

“We thought we could spend today here and tomorrow with his family; his father’s been badly injured, and we were planning on visiting him at the hospital.” This was not right. Mom always said that no one should spend the holidays alone, that it misses the point completely.

“Mr Walsh,” I began

“Bernard, please,” he corrected

“Bernard, I invite you to spend Christmas day with my family.” Kate looked at me and I saw from the corner of my eye that she smiled.

“Oh, no, no, no, son…”

“I insist, “I interrupted “Mom cooks for a whole army anyway and they won’t mind another guest. I know it’s going to look like just half a family for you but, they always make everyone feel at home.”

“Perhaps, it would be nice…”

“It will.” Said Kate putting and arm around my waist.

“That’s settled, then.” I said. Kate turned around to grab the box and gasped. “Look! It’s snowing!” She rushed to the window behind the desk and the other members of the family came to investigate what was the commotion about.

We ended up all gathered together, pressed against the window watching the snow cover the street.

“My Julie said there was something magical in watching snow fall.” Bernard commented, and he was right, even though in Romania we have our fair share of snow every year, Kate and I always find ourselves staring out of the window for a few peaceful moments.

She rested her head on my shoulder, trying not to poke my face with the hat, and I hugged her waist.

“But that’s just because you always conjured snow just to fall in front of her!” Accused Cornelia with an amused tone.

“Certainly not!” He tried to cover the lie but ended up laughing anyway spreading it to the rest of us. I squeezed Kate’s hip and she turned to look at me.

“Ready for round two tomorrow?” Her eyes widened at the thought of a Weasley Christmas and we ended up chuckling together.

Despite all the mess that our lives were at the moment it was a nice rest, and it was certainly a holiday that I wouldn’t forget.


	2. Chapter 2

I found myself admiring the book Kate’s grandfather gifted me. It was a new edition, certainly with a better quality than the one I own. It had also some drawings scattered through the pages.

Kate’s parents left after exchanging presents and her uncles decided to call it a night and went to the guest room to sleep.

Her grandfather excused himself to the studio to write some letters to his friends of the Magic Chess Club, leaving me alone with Kate in the living room. She was sitting by my side on the couch, playing absentmindedly with the hairs on the back of my head, while sipping from a small bottle of ginger ale. I could have stayed like this forever.

“Look,” I said pointing at a sketch that introduced Chapter Three of the book. “It’s easy to confuse the eggs of a Hungarian Horntail and the one of an Antipodean Opaleye if you don’t have practice.” She leaned in to inspect the picture and the scent of her hair reached my nose.

“I imagine it’s difficult to have the two of them at the same time to compare.” She said softly.

“The trick is that you have to touch it; the antipodean eggs are outstandingly smooth, almost feel like velvet.” She didn’t say anything, she just looked at me and moved her hand from my neck to caress my jaw with the back of her finger and knuckle.

I have no idea how she does it, but when she does something like that I feel like I’m going to melt right on the spot.

I turned some pages, looking for another sketch, and she kept playing with my hair while staring at the fire. She was clearly thinking about something, but I decided to let her sort things out before commenting on it. We stayed like that for a while, until I heard her take a deep breath and start to stand up.

“I’m going to throw this out…” she said shaking the bottle. I rapidly left the book on my left and tried to stop her.

“No, wait. Wait.” I extended my hand inviting her to sit with me again. “Tell me.”

I used to be proud of our strategy to give each other space when it looked like we wanted to be alone, but as the years went by, at some point I understood that we work better after a talk. She still acts like she doesn’t need it, but I know when her mind’s not at ease, I can feel it like it’s my own.

She sat next to me again, a little closer this time, leaving the bottle on the floor in the process and I shifted to be face to face with her. I put a hand on her knee and she moved them placing them partially over my thighs.

“Tonight’s been exhausting…”

“I told you it was fine, family matters are complicated…”

“No,” she interrupted, curling a little towards me. “It’s not that.” She took a deep breath and sighed. “At dinner I felt Snape on my mind. I locked him out but then I spent the rest of the night worried that he would do it again.”

I mentally tsked. It’s Christmas, for Merlin’s beard! The bloody prick wouldn’t let her rest a single day since Dumbledore forced him to train her in occlumency. I put my arm on the back of the couch taking her hair from her shoulder in the process.

“At one point…at one point I didn’t know if he wanted to enter or not. I was just…blocking. Do you think he did it on purpose to make me be on guard?”

“I haven’t thought of that, but it’s possible.” I shook my head and caressed her hair again. “I had no idea. I’m sorry.”

“It made me feel very…vulnerable, you know?”

I didn’t know what to say or how to help her. I just wished I could take her place and stop the man from tormenting her day after day. “Yes, of course. Are you feeling something right now?”

She looked down, probably taking her mental walls down, and the looked up back at me.

“No…” she ventured “No, I don’t. It stopped when we finished eating.” I cradled the back of her head and leaned in to kiss her forehead.

“You are safe, we are safe. It’s…probably sometime past one in the morning, we are in front of the fire, it’s snowing outside, there’s…mistletoe?”

We both looked up and found a small cut of mistletoe hanging in the air above our heads. I could see the golden sparks of magic that maintained it in the air.

She looked down again and smirked. “You know, you don’t have to do that if you want to kiss me…”

“I didn’t do that, I swear.” And it was true, I was just as surprised at her.

“Aha…of course.” She whispered while leaning in. We met in the middle in a tender kiss that made me smile. I pecked her lips two more times before parting. We rested our foreheads together and she rubbed her nose against mine.

“A stór, I left towels in your room, if you need them.” Kate’s grandfather, Bernard, entered the room, startling us. I thought that she would move to seat on the other side of the couch, but to my surprise and delight, she was comfortable enough to stay close to me.

“Thank you, grandpa.”

Bernard sat on the seat in front of the window and put round glasses on to start reading what I presumed it was the muggle local newspaper. He took a glance at us from up his glasses and smirked, before continuing reading.

I was going to ask Kate if she wanted to go to sleep when something collided with the window making a loud thud.

“Fuckin’ shite!” Bernard exclaimed. The three of us got up and went to inspect the window.

Kate tugged at my sleeve, “Charlie, that’s Errol!” We exchanged looks but I couldn’t identify if she was excited or worried.

“This window can’t be opened…” said Bernard. I nodded and squeezed Kate’s shoulder. “I’ll go get him.”

I heard Kate explaining who Errol was while putting my boots and coat. I regretted immediately going outside, it was extremely difficult to walk on the coat of snow that had formed. I picked up Errol and put him under my coat.

Before going back inside I could see Kate and her grandfather looking at me through the window. He said something pointing to my direction and Kate nodded smiling.

Back in the living room Errol was curled up in front of the fire while I read the letter. Kate looked at it over my shoulder and after a quick once-over she searched for her wand and closed all the curtains of the place.

“Mom says that Dad’s better and he can go home but that instead of the Burrow they are going to Grim…” Just before I could finish the sentence I saw Kate pointing her wand at me and shout “Silencio!”.

I tried to speak but my mouth failed and I just made a choked sound. Bernard chuckled behind Kate and she moved her wand again.

“I’m sorry. But we can’t risk it.” She turned to her grandpa “I know that this is weird and confusing and I promise we will explain it tomorrow.”

“I know.” The look in his eyes was sincere, and I figured that he must have lived some dark times himself, when it’s always required to keep all you know to yourself.

“Have you read it all?” Kate asked. When I nodded she passed a hand over the paper and the ink disappeared, then she snatched the letter and threw it in the fire.

“It was really reckless of my mother to write that.” I said while observing how the fire consumed the letter.

I sat down and Kate followed, putting her legs on mine and resting her head on the arm of the couch before closing her eyes.

I picked up my book and started reading again while caressing Kate’s ankles. We could worry any other day, at that moment we would enjoy the peace and contentment that Bernard Walsh’s house offered.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On Christmas day, they take Bernard to Grimmauld Place

The day after the evening with the Walsh family, I woke up with a pleasant feeling in my body; the dim light coming in through the window, the warmth of the sheets and a sleeping Kate next to me made the world peaceful for a moment.

I did not recognise the room immediately, it took me several blinks to adjust my memories.

I stared at the ceiling for a while, concentrating on my breathing, and I smiled to myself remembering the Muggle story my father used to read to us. Or was it a song?

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

Not quite, I thought. The door was closed, but I have no qualms about boasting that my hearing was good enough to hear some faint music.

I got up very carefully, trying not to wake her up, although I started to shake so violently that I was afraid that the chattering of my teeth would ruin everything.

I immediately put on the jumper I had brought with me, and for the moment it was enough.

I heard a sound of sheets and turned to see Kate looking for me with one hand in her dreams. I couldn’t help smiling, and selfishly thought of coming closer and having her find me, but the day ahead would require at least one more hour of sleep for her.

I realised too late that I left the room in my pyjamas and contemplated my options; Kate’s parents had already left, and they were the ones who worried me the most, so without further thought I followed the Christmas music downstairs.

The dining room table had plates and spoons, it was almost ready for breakfast and only with that detail I understood Bernard’s need to keep us in his house as long as possible. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to go to Grimmauld Place.

A piano version of Gloria In Excelsis Deo came out of a record player in the dining room. I wondered why Mr Walsh hadn’t turned on the machine with the smaller discs, since he seemed so happy with it, so much so he convinced Kate to buy one. I didn’t think it was a bad idea, but we wouldn’t get anything from the Weird Sisters in a Muggle shop.

I found Bernard serving tea in a single cup. Although the slippers I was wearing were very quiet, he turned to see who was entering the kitchen.

“Merry Christmas, Charlie.” He commented with a small smile and continued to serve tea, “Katie told me you were an early bird.”

“Good morning, and Merry Christmas to you too. What time is it?” I sighed with relief when I saw the striped pyjamas he was wearing.

“It’ll be seven in a while. You can sleep a little longer if you like, Cornelia and her husband are still asleep...”

“Oh, no, I like this time of the day. Everything is silent, and the world seems to be in its place.” I laughed, “That’s what Kate says, but at three in the morning.” Bernard huffed a laugh and gave me a tray with glasses to take to the table.

“I’m with you on this. Things have to be done when there’s light. Tea?”

“Yes, please.”

Together we sat at the table while the song changed to a slow version of Oh Christmas Tree.

“How do you celebrate Christmas at home, son?”

Every Christmas at home went through my mind like a movie, all different and special in its own way.

“Well, they got more complicated with each new sibling.” We both laughed, and the complicity in his eyes for understanding me reached my heart. “There’s always a big banquet, Mom cooks for a battalion... but between you and me: there’s never much food left.”

He smiled, but I saw something strange in his eyes. He looked down, but I decided not to ask questions about it, I was afraid to remove delicate feelings. “This is the first year I’ve seen them at Christmas since I left for Romania,” I continued, but he interrupted me.

“Don’t tell me that! That can’t be, no.” He raised an accusing finger and pointed it at me to scold me like when Mum did it when I was a child. “Let me tell you something: some people don’t like Christmas. They don’t want to give presents, or have to prepare food, or see those pesky cousins,” he put his hand on my wrist and with a calmer tone he continued, “but the family, the family, Charlie, has to be taken care of and the perfect excuse is this season.”

He tapped my hand and nodded sharply, ending his speech. I sighed, knowing that he was right, but a dark part of me had enjoyed the holidays on my own in the reserve tent and the first Christmas alone with Kate.

I adored my family, of course, but I could not deny that particular and inexplicable fullness of those years.

“After this year, who knows if we will be able to get together again.” I took the cup to my mouth, the liquid comforted my throat but not so much that the words kept coming out.

“I know something is happening. The atmosphere in the chess club has changed, there are men working in the ministry, you know? And last night...”

I looked up, but I bit my tongue. It would be better if Kate explained everything when we got to Grimmauld Place.

“It’s a bit long to explain. When we’re in a safe place, you’ll know everything.”

Or not. In saying this, it occurred to me that perhaps Kate would not want to involve her grandfather in what the Order and Dumbledore were up to, yet she agreed when I proposed that he accompany us to Sirius’ house.

The record had stopped spinning as we spoke, allowing us to hear voices coming down the stairs. Kate’s uncle, Secondo, and her aunt, Cornelia, joined us in the dining room.

“Dad! Merry Christmas!” Cornelia threw herself into Bernard’s arms and he caught her in a warm embrace. I couldn’t wait to hug my father like that.

“Merry Christmas, A stóirín.” He chuckled, “I’ll start preparing breakfast.”

Cornelia wished me a Merry Christmas with a kiss on the cheek and went to the kitchen with Bernard. Secondo patted my shoulder and went after them.

“We’ll prepare everything and I’m sure Kate won’t be able to resist the smell of coffee.” Bernard announced.

Together we started to take out cups and plates, we went around carrying tea, biscuits, coffee cups, milk, toast... at some point Bernard turned the record around, playing The Holly and The Ivy. The domesticity of the moment relaxed me, and although I had been with Kate for many years, it was only at that moment that I began to be part of the family.

It was a strange situation, no doubt, that made me contemplate how Kate put down roots in our home, how mum and dad and all my brothers adopted her immediately, long before we became a couple and, I dare say, before we became friends. Bill had been the first to meet her and obviously spoke of her with great esteem and admiration, despite the fact that we were only children. Mum already adored her and had never even seen her.

I understood at that moment, with a jar of jam in my hand and with some slippers on that were not mine, that this was what she had lacked during her life and that she found behind the doors of the Burrow.

I prayed to some Muggle god I didn’t believe in so she could make up for lost time with her grandfather.

With the first notes of Sans Day Carol, Kate appeared through the kitchen door dishevelled and with her eyes almost closed, but with a big smile that made me breathe deeply.

Congratulations and hugs began immediately, followed by frantic and chaotic conversations of which I could only discern a few words. I didn’t mind staying out of the family moment, I just enjoyed watching Kate trying to act like a human being before breakfast.

When she came to me, I couldn’t resist planting a kiss in the square on her mouth; she accepted it in surprise and a laugh escaped on the way. She asked me with an eyebrow, but I only shook my head.

“Don’t move.” She listened to me (have someone write down the date on the calendar), and when she saw a finger approaching her face, she closed her eyes.

I carefully pulled out the sleepy dust that was stuck to her tear duct and she smiled at me in gratitude. I left her free, and she trotted to the table to proceed with her breakfast.

“We must leave in a while,” announced Cornelia, “Secondo’s parents are waiting for us.”

“Of course, of course...” agreed Bernard, but I noticed the sadness in his words. Home For The Holidays just added more melancholy to the moment, and I looked at the record player as if the object could understand what I was asking for.

It made a strange noise that startled me; I hadn’t done that. Do You Hear What I Hear replaced the previous tune. I looked at Kate, who already had her eyes on me, and she blinked very slowly behind the cup she had taken to her mouth.

Although I already knew this, every time something like this happened I was overcome with a deep admiration for being able to speak without words. I agreed with Ginny internally, for being the first to point it out.

If anyone at the table observed the exchange, no one made any comments about it.

After Kate’s aunt and uncle left, she, Bernard and I were left alone in the house.

“Is there anything you’d like to do today, Grandpa?” Kate asked after drying the last of the dishes.

Bernard took the pick out of the record player and turned his back on us while he put the vinyl away.

“I have some errands...”

“All right, we’ll go with you...”

“No, no, why don’t you go directly to that mysterious place of yours and I will join you later?”

“You don’t even know where it is, Grandpa.”

He remained sullen as he brushed the crumbs off the tablecloth with a kind of brush that I had never seen before.

“Do you want to go and see Grandma?” Kate suggested.

“Yes, but it’s unnecessary to go all together, really, it’s something very quick that...”

“I feel like it too.” She interrupted before addressing me, “Charlie, could you take our things to the house? I’ll accompany my grandfather to the cemetery.”

I nodded, this would give me time to explain to Mom that we would have one more guest.

“I’ll stop by the hospital first.”

“Really, you don’t have to do this.”

“But I want to!” She gave him a half hug, and a shy smile appeared under his moustache.

“It’s decided. See you in Gr...” Kate’s withering gaze silenced me and I raised my hands to declare my innocence.

“Let’s get our stuff together.”

From the cupboard under the stairs we took out the bags we had brought for my family. I was a little embarrassed to have gifts as simple as socks or candy, but it was what I could afford to have gifts for everyone.

“And if I’m not there, whose arm are you going to hold on to when you get dizzy from apparating?” I teased her when I handed her her coat.

“Very funny, my knight errant, but I can manage on my own.” The huff of false indignation blew a little curl from her forehead that had fallen when she bent over, and I had to laugh at her attitude.

“Remember that St Mungo’s is crowded at Christmas. If they make you wait too long to see your father, find Madame Louise and tell her I sent you.”

I nodded, memorising the name, and after checking the cupboard, we left all the things by the door and went upstairs to get dressed.

\--

Either someone had lied to me or my father had vanished because no one knew where to find him.

With a thousand bags in each hand, I left St Mungo’s and walked into an alley.

It had taken us quite a while to leave the Walsh house, so I showed up at Grimmauld Place, hoping that Mum had taken him out of the hospital.

Pulling out my wand was quite a feat and opening the door was even more difficult, but in the end I managed to get in.

The painting of Sirius’ mother almost tore my ears with its rales and I had to throw away all the things I had in my hand to be able to cover the bloody woman with a bed sheet.

“But what is this scandal? Fred, George! What are you doing? Charlie, darling...” Mum appeared wiping her hands on her apron and when she saw me she rushed to receive me with open arms. “Oh, but what joy you have given me, son. But where is Kate, I thought she would come?”

“She’s with her grandfather now, she’ll come later.”

“Well, she’ll have a plate of food when she comes...” With a grip stronger than one would expect for a woman of her size, she dragged me through the corridor.

“I’ve invited her grandfather, Bernard, to join us, is that okay?”

“But of course, darling! I’m delighted to meet someone from her family. That girl is so reserved... Ginny, love, look who I’ve found!”

“Mom, there’s something I wanted to ask you...” As if a cannonball had hit me, my sister threw herself at me with all the strength she had.

“Charlie! I thought you weren’t coming!”

I caught her in the air and anchored her so she wouldn’t fall. At that moment I heard a couple of ‘pop’ sounds behind my back and two identical redheads surrounded me.

“Oh! The favourite brother has arrived!”

“It’s actually Bill, but since he’s not here, we’ll settle for you.” Fred and George hung on to my arms and my knees almost dropped me.

“Thanks a lot, boys, I love you too.”

“Let my poor boy breathe, we have no spare.” I blew Ginny’s hair out of my face as best I could, and over her shoulder I saw Dad leaning against the door. My heart turned over when I saw him in that state, but the relief I felt was greater than the fear of what almost happened to him.

I tried hard not to think about it, and after kissing Ginny on the forehead, I took her off my torso so I could say hello to him.

I tried not to press too hard on the hug, and I noticed that he was grateful. I felt a few taps on my shoulder and found Ron waiting to greet me.

I didn’t hold back from him; in this case, I held him as long as I could until he felt ashamed or suffocated, whichever came first.

It was the shame, of course, but I couldn’t care less.

I saw Sirius Black sitting in the kitchen and went over to squeeze his hand cordially and wish him a merry Christmas. He turned out to be a nice bloke, against all odds, and I made a mental note to thank him for what he was doing for the Order.

Ron’s friend, Hermione, came to the door and greeted me after whispering something in his ear. I returned the greeting and saw them marching up the stairs.

“They’re going to be with Harry, the poor angel’s having a hard time lately.” Mum explained. “He hardly says a word.”

Dad sat down on one of the chairs around the table and I put a hand on his shoulder. He patted it before drinking from his cup.

“Isn’t Kate with you?” I was surprised that it was Sirius who asked, but I shook my head with a question in my eyes. “Dumbledore has asked me to deliver a letter to her.”

“Hey, Charles, did you bring us any presents?” George asked.

“Oh, don’t be like that.” Mum said. I just laughed and pointed to the front door where I had thrown all the bags. They both stampeded out in that direction.

“I’ll take the one I like best!” announced Fred. My father and I laughed, and I sat down next to him for a chat.

\--

Kate and Bernard didn’t show up until long after the meal. I looked for something in their expression that would tell me what had taken them so long, but I saved the questions for another time.

“Have you eaten anything?” I asked her as I hung up her coat.

“Yes, I’m sorry. We talked a lot and walked around. We ate in the street. And your father?”

“He’s here! They brought him from the hospital this morning.” I could not contain my enthusiasm when I revealed that the family was almost complete. I was saddened by the situation with Percy I felt like giving him a hug too.

“Another thing: Sirius has something from Dumbledore for you.” The surprise on her face was understandable.

“Do you have any idea what it is?”

“A letter. I don’t know more.”

Bernard came up to us and I reached out my hand for his scarf and hat.

“I think we need to make introductions, don’t you?”

“Yes, come on, my mother is looking forward to meeting you.”

My parents were delighted with Bernard Walsh, and George and Fred soon became friends with him; Kate’s grandfather matched the mischief of the twins and quickly made his way into the family.

When he was in good company, I left the kitchen to look for Kate, but I ran into Ginny in the hallway.

“You should talk to her, she seems worried.” She pointed to the stairs and went into the kitchen with the rest.

Upstairs I found Ron and Hermione on the landing, knocking on one of the doors where Harry Potter was probably hiding.

To my right, I saw part of Kate’s green dress on the other side of an ajar door. I met her and closed the door behind me.

“Read this.” She handed me a scroll, and I recognised Professor Dumbledore’s fancy calligraphy. I scanned the document and raised my eyebrows.

“Durmstrang?”

Kate mouthed a ‘yup’ and sat on a purple divan next to a really ugly lamp.

“A mission of the Order in a school. Can you believe it?”

I read the letter again, frantically searching for the date of departure, and I felt like collapsing when I saw that it was sooner than I would have liked.

“In two weeks! For how long?” She looked at her hands, afraid to tell me. I read the paper again and at the end of it all was the unfortunate word: ‘indefinitely’.

“You’d better get that thing sorted out as quickly as possible.” That was the only thing I could think of to say.

I sat down next to her and put a hand on her knee. She covered it with hers immediately and put the other hand around my arm, leaving me anchored to her leg.

We stayed like this for a while in silence until I suddenly stood up and extended my hand to her.

“Come on. Now is not the time.” She agreed, and we followed the voices, not to the kitchen but to a small living room.

Everyone was crowded around a table where two people were sitting. We approached Hermione, who was watching cross-armed from the door.

“What’s going on?”

“Well, Harry doesn’t want to talk to anyone.” She commented, raising her shoulder.

“I meant, what’s going on here?”

“Ron has decided to play chess with your grandfather, Kate.”

Her eyes widened, and she let go of my hand to join the group. I followed happily because something had managed to distract us.

Bernard and Ron looked at the board in silence, each one concentrating on their own strategy. I must admit that I’m not a bad player, but until now I didn’t know anyone who had beaten Ron, Harry perhaps.

However, Kate had told me that her grandfather was a fierce and ruthless player so I would not have bet my galleons on Ron.

My brother shook his head and toppled his queen, declaring his defeat.

“You beat me in three.” He stated.

Bernard smiled, and his eyes shone behind his glasses. He extended his hand to Ron, and he shook it, sealing the game. Bernard raised his index finger before moving one of my brother’s pawns to another square.

“Can’t you see? You could have blocked the knight.”

Ron put his hand to his head and let out a shy laugh before nodding.

“You’ve got talent, kid. You play better than some lads from the Club.”

“Oh, this was wonderful!” exclaimed Mom. “I didn’t understand a thing.”

“Another one?” Ron proposed and Bernard nodded. With a twist of the hand, the pieces flew across the board to opposite sides. Now Ron would play with white.

I left Kate and the others in the room watching the game, except for Dad, who came out into the hall with me.

“We forgot! We have presents for you too!” I hugged him by the shoulders and we went into the kitchen. “Somebody’s going to have to explain to that nice gentleman why we’re here.” He whispered.

“Kate may have already done that. Now let’s enjoy what’s left of Christmas and that you’re here with us.”

“Son, I couldn’t agree more.”

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Charlie Weasley or any of the characters of the Harry Potter saga.


End file.
